Trump Admin ‘Evaluating’ Mass Pardons for Junior Staffers: Report

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The White House is reportedly considering whether to issue mass pardons for junior staffers, according to a report.

In a signal that the political pardonpalooza of recent years has yet to run its course, The Washington Sun reported Saturday that the White House was “evaluating” the move.

The outlet cited two sources for the report though one quickly threw cold water on the idea that the pardons would come to fruition:

A pardon for all junior administration personnel is viewed as unlikely, one source said, but the president could issue blanket pardons for all employees involved in particular policy areas, such as deportations, war or trade. Trump has previously said he would be interested in pardoning some administration officials, but the discussions happening now would apply to a far greater number of White House staff than has been previously reported.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly issued a series of controversial pardons since returning to the White House for his second term.

The president has been open about the idea of pardoning staffers.

Trump said in an interview earlier this month that he would consider such pardons, telling Time “Yeah, sure I’d do that” and pointing to former President Joe Biden’s pre-emptive pardons before leaving office.

“Well, Sleepy Joe Biden, he gave pardons to everyone,” he told the outlet.

“It was a disappointment to a lot of Republicans,” he told Time. “So that’s just – well, Sleepy Joe gave pardons to everybody. He gave them to [Anthony] Fauci. He gave them this. But, you mean, I’m not allowed to give them, but Sleepy Joe’s allowed to give them?”

Biden issued a number of pardons before leaving office, including Fauci; retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and members and staff of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, along with police officers who testified.

The White House did not immediately respond to Mediaite’s request for comment.

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